SNAKES. 43 q 



tain my great ant-bear. Whilst the assembled company seemed at 

 a loss to know how the rattlesnakes were to be transferred from one 

 cage to another, I stepped forward and volunteered my services, 

 having long been of opinion that a snake in a box is not so dan- 

 gerous as a "snake in the grass." " Gentlemen," said I, "whenever 

 we have to deal with wild beasts or with serpents, all depends upon 

 nerve and tact Now, on this occasion, if you will only be spec- 

 tators mute and motionless, the project which I have determined 

 upon in my own mind will be carried out with ease and with safety." 

 Having first opened the door of the ant-bear's cage, in order to 

 receive its new tenants, I cautiously approached Vangordon's box. 

 Scarcely had I lifted up the lid when one of the serpents, wearied 

 no doubt with long imprisonment, glided about half its length 

 through the opening before it. The company instantly rushed out 

 of the room, as though the apparition of Death were present amongst 

 them. They brought to my mind those lines of Scotland's immortal 

 poet, " when out the hellish legion sallied/' away went Tarn O'Shan- 

 ter. In the meantime, Dr Hobson, with his wonted presence of 

 mind, had gently pressed down the lid of the box upon the back of 

 the snake, which, with a little help on my part, was easily coaxed 

 into the prison whence it had wished to escape. The remainder of 

 the story is soon told. Our professional gentlemen, who had fled 

 from the scene of apparent danger, returned into the room, after 

 having been assured that all was right 



I now approached the box, and quietly opened the door. On 

 this the snakes began to move their rattles, but kept their mouths 

 quite shut. Fearing no harm, I softly placed my hand behind the 

 head of the snake which was nearest to me, and silently transferred 

 it to the other cage. The remaining seven-and- twenty were soon 

 disposed of in a similar manner. All that I have to add is, that the 

 rabbits and the guinea pigs expired in a few minutes under the in- 

 fluence of the wourali poison, but that those which were bitten by 

 the rattlesnakes struggled with death for a longer time. They sank 

 at last, with a few convulsive struggles. 



Mr Taylor, in his paper which appeared in " The Magazine of 

 Natural History" (vol. p. i. 529 541), says, "I have repeatedly 

 endeavoured to verify Mr Audubon's account of the rattlesnake 



